Kids Rule

Do a little shopping at What’s on 2nd?, a store filled to the rafters with vintage toys, games and unique collectables that will wow the kids in your group while taking you back to your childhood.

For an engaging and educational experience, check out the McWane Science Center. Four floors of hands-on exhibits that bring discovery to life. Or, for the older ones, get behind the wheel of a serious go-kart at the Autobahn Indoor Speedway, the premier indoor go-kart racing experience.

Once you’ve worked up that lunchtime appetite, try Babalu Tapas & Tacos. There’s plenty to appeal to young and old alike, plus with shareable Latin American small plates, everybody can enjoy a little bit of everything.

To get even more active, try Steel City Jump Park. It’s an indoor trampoline park offering open jump, basketball, extreme dodgeball and a foal pit – all with a trampoline twist, of course.

Later, give your body a rest and stimulate your brain at Locked In, a puzzle game that requires you to race against the clock to solve a series of clues in order to escape a locked room. It’s great fun for all ages.

Once you manage to break out of there, walk right across the street to Jack Brown’s for some of the freshest, most delicious hand-made hamburgers anywhere.

Red Mountain Park is a great place to put those breakfast calories to work. Hike up to tone of the tree houses or one of the downtown overlooks. The 15 miles of trails traverse a diverse terrain and showcase much of the area’s breathtaking natural beauty. But don’t stop there. Red Mountain Park also has the Vulcan Materials Zip Trip, the Kaul Adventure Tower and the Hugh Kaul Beanstalk Forest that all add to the experience.

For lunch, try a little authentic southern fare at Jim N Nick’s BBQ. Go with the pulled pork, the slow roasted chicken or dive into one of their famous loaded baked potatoes. And what meal would be complete without dessert? For that, we suggest a trip to Mountain Brook Creamery for a classic ice cream shop experience.

Then take your cones up the street to the Birmingham Zoo. There you’ll see approximately 950 animals – including many endangered species – within the 122-acre complex.

And as the day comes to a close, you might want to head up to Vulcan Park for sweeping views of the city and a beautiful sunset – a fitting end to an unforgettable weekend.